Floribunda rose plant cv. Aroresas

ABSTRACT

This invention relates to a new and distinct variety of floribunda rose plant cv. Aroresas, particularly suited for cut flowers, identified by its abundant production of long, strong, thornless stems bearing uniform deep red buds.

The present invention relates to a new and distinct variety (cv.Aroresas) of rose plant of the floribunda class. The plant is a tall,greenhouse seedling of the upright type, with long stems, and very fewprickles, cultivated for cut flowers. Its hardiness is yet untested. Itwas first originated by Thomas F. Carruth and Jack E. Christensen inOntario, Calif.; U.S.A. under conditions of careful control andobservation, and has as its seed parent the hybrid tea rose, Red Successand as its pollen parent, the rose Mary Devor.

The new rose cv. Aroresas is particularly distinguishable from othercommercialized rose cultivars by the following combination ofcharacteristics: its upright growing habit and long, flower-bearingstems with very few prickles; and it well-formed and relatively small(approximately 11/4 to 11/2 inches in diameter) deep red coloredblossoms, essentially as described and illustrated herein.

Aroresas holds its distinguishing characteristics through succeedingpropagations by cuttings and budding and in vitro propagation.

The new variety cv. Aroresas may be distinguished from its seed parent,Red Success by the following combination of characteristics: Whereas RedSuccess is a hybrid tea rose, Aroresas is a floribunda rose of thesweetheart type. The flower color of Aroresas is a deep dark red whereasthe flower color of Red Success is an orange-red. Aroresas has very fewprickles on its branches and trunk whereas Red Success has a moderatenumber of prickles on its branches and its trunk.

The new variety may be distinguished from its pollen parent, Mary Devorby the following combination of characteristics: Aroresas has very fewprickles on its branches and trunk whereas Mary Devor bears a moderatenumber of prickles on its branches and trunk. The buds of the newvariety are greater in size than the buds of Mary Devor.

The accompanying drawing illustrates the new variety in color as grownin Somis, Calif., and shows the flowering thereof from bud to fullbloom.

The descriptive matter which follows pertains to roses of the newvariety grown in the greenhouse in Somis, Calif., and is believedgenerally to apply to similar conditions elsewhere. Plants and flowersof the new variety grown in other locations may vary in slight detailaccording to the climatic, soil and cultural conditions under which thevariety is grown.

Throughout this specification, color names beginning with a small lettersignify that the name of that color as used in common speech is aptlydescriptive. Color names beginning with a capital letter designatevalues based upon the R.H.S. Colour Chart of The Royal HorticulturalSociety of London, England.

FLOWER

The new variety usually bears its flowers singly, sometimes two to threeto a stem. Flowers are borne on strong stems that are long for theclass. In the greenhouse, the plant blooms very abundantly and nearlycontinuously during the growing season. Blooms have a slight fragrance.

BUD

The peduncle is of average length for the class, of average to heavycaliper, strong and erect. The peduncle is usually smooth with fewstipitate glands. Bud color is near Green 141C.

Before the calyx breaks, the bud is medium in size for the class, ofmedium length, ovoid in form with a conspicuous neck. There arefoliaceous appendages and stipitate glands on the surface of the bud,with deeply serrate foliaceous parts extending beyond the tip of the budand equal to three quarters or more of its length.

As the calyx breaks, bud color is between Red 45A and Red 46A.

The inner surface of the sepals bears a fine wooly tomentum. Sepalmargins are lined with gland-tipped cilia, stipitate glands and hairs.

As the first petals opens, buds are average in size for the class, ofmedium length and pointed to ovoid in shape. Color of the outside andinside of the bud petals is a uniform royal red, between Red 45A and Red46A.

The bud opens well and is not retarded, prevented from opening, ordestroyed by hot, wet or dry weather.

BLOOM

The size of the bloom when fully open is average for the class, about 2inches to about 2.5 inches in diameter. Petalage is double, averagingfrom about 27 to 30 petals arranged regularly, plus 6 or 8 petaloids.Blooms are high-centered to flat topped and full in form, with spiraledpetals. Petal edges are reflexed outward. When fully open, petals aresomewhat loosely cupped, the petal edges reflexed outward.

The petals are heavy in substance, of medium thickness, velvety on theinside surface and slightly velvety on the outside surface. Outsidepetals are oval to nearly round in shape with rounded tips usually bearone notch. Intermediate petals are nearly oval to narrowly obovate withrounded tips and usually bear one notch. Inside petals are nearly ovalwith rounded tips and usually bear one notch.

The following paragraph describes the color values observed in a newlyopened flower from a plant of the new variety grown in a greenhouse inSomis, Calif. in May of 1987.

The outside surface of the outside petals is of uniform color, nearRed-Purple 59A. The inside surface of the outside petals is of uniformcolor, near Greyed-Purple 187B.

The outside and inside surface of the intermediate petal is nearRed-Purple 60A. The outside surface of the inner petal is nearRed-Purple 60B and the inside surface is near Red-Purple 60A.

The general color effect of the bud and newly opened flowers is a deeproyal red. Flowers open for three days maintain the same general coloreffect of the flower when newly open.

The following paragraph describes the color values observed in a floweropen for three days indoors from a plant of the new variety in June,1987 at Somis, Calif.

The color of the outside and inside surface of both the outside andinside petals is near Red-Purple 60B and Red-Purple 60A, respectively.

Petals usually drop off cleanly and are not particularly affected by hotof dry weather. Flowers on garden plants grown in the month of June lastfrom 3 to 4 days. Cut flowers from rose plants grown in the greenhouselast from 6 to 7 days in May when kept at living room temperatures.

REPRODUCTIVE ORGANS

The many stamens are arranged regularly about the pistils; a few mayalso be mixed with petaloids. Filaments are medium in length and mosthave medium sized anthers. Anthers open approximately all at once.Mature anthers are Greyed-Yellow 163A in color; immature anthers areGreyed-Yellow 162A in color. Pollen is produced in abundant quantitiesand is Greyed-Yellow 163B in color.

Pistils are average in number for the class (about 30). Styles are ofaverage length and are somewhat bunched. Stigma color is nearGreyed-Yellow 162C. Ovaries are mostly all enclosed in the calyx with afew protruding therefrom.

Immature hips of the variety are smooth, short and pointed. Hips arenear Green 141C in color, with some Orange-Red 31A near the tip.

Sepals are permanent and of medium length. The inside surface of thesepals is near Green 138B in color; the color of the outside sepalsurface is near Green 137B.

Few seeds are produced, around 5 to 8 in number.

FOLIAGE

The abundant compound leaves are heavy and glossy and usually comprise 5to 7 leaflets. Leaflets are oval in shape, with acute apices; theirbases are usually obtuse and margins are simply serrate.

The color of the upper leaf surface is Green 147A; the lower leafsurface is near Green 148B. New growth is Green 146A in color, tingedwith Greyed-Red 182B on the upper leaf surface. The under surface ofyoung leaves is Greyed-Red 182B with Green 146D beneath the surface.

The rachis is of average size. Its upper side is grooved with somestipitate glands on the edges. The underside is sparsely prickly withstipitate glands.

Stipules are short in length for the class, moderately narrow, and haveshort points which usually turn out at an angle of less than about 45°.

Plants of the new variety are, on the average, more resistant to mildewthan other cultivars now in commerce when grown under comparableconditions at Somis, Calif.

GROWTH

Plants of the new variety are of a tall upright habit, and muchbranched. Plant growth is very free and vigorous. Canes are of heavycaliper for the class. The main stems are Greyed-Green 191A in color.They bear very few thorns which are short for the class and hookedslightly downward. Thorns are Greyed-Orange 174B in color. The thornbase is short and narrow. There are no prickles or hairs.

Branches are Greyed-Green 191A in color; they bear very few large thornsand these are short for the class. Thorns are hooked downward and have ashort and narrow base. Thorns are Greyed-Orange 161B in color. There areno prickles or hairs.

New shoots are Green 143B in color, tinged with Greyed-Red 186B. Newshoots bear very few thorns for the class. Thorns are Greyed-Purple 185Dat the base and Greyed-Yellow 162 at the tip. There are no smallprickles or hairs.

I claim:
 1. A new and distinct variety of floribunda rose plant cv.Aroresas and the parts thereof, being particularly characterized by itsupright habit; its long, flower-bearing stems with very few prickles;and its long lasting, well formed and relatively small flowers ofuniform red color, substantially as described and illustrated herein.